Celestron/Baader angled Binoviewer

[F15Rules]

I took a punt on this recently, and boy, I am glad I did!

It is old (around 20 years I think), but was built in Germany by Leitz, and is razor sharp with great contrast...and takes high magnification very well (200+ on good night's).

I'm mating this with the following pairs:

BGO 6mm ortho

Fujiyama 12.5mm ortho

Parks Gold Pseudo Masuyama 25mm

More by way of a review to follow..

Dave

 

 

[Ruud]

Congratulations!

Twenty years?  It looks like new!

[Stu]

Looks very interesting Dave. I think I saw that advertised and thought about it! Some of this old glass can be very sharp, look forward to your reviews!

[JTEC]

Looks like a real find!  Leitz quality and appears massively functional and built to last. ‘Built in’ 45 angle, so no need for additional prism in the train to achieve comfortable viewing position with the refractor. Has all the apparent attributes of a ‘classic’ ?? Hope so!

John

TEC140, C11, 14.25” f5.5 Hysom/Hinds Dob, Baader MkV binoviewer, Baader Zeiss prisms, Tak ortho pairs, TV plossl pairs,  13mm Ethos, 22mm Nag, 10 and 12mm Delos, Edmund RKEs including 2x28mm, QSI583, Astrodon filters, AZ EQ6 at home, EQ6 in Canaries. Nikon 7x50 bins and Kasai WideBino. Too much junk to list.

 

[Telescope40]

1 hour ago, JTEC said:

 

 

Hello Dave.  Looks like a good buy. I have a similar pair of these BV’s - Baader version. 

Very happy with mine. Has crossed my mind to upgrade to a pair of Denks etc but don’t think I would see much improvement on the views I currently get with this unit.  They are very easy to get on with. 

Bought from a fellow SGL er about 3 years back. 

Regards John 

 

[F15Rules]

Hi John,

Yes, I think yours will be optically and mechanically the same unit, derived from a microscope binoviewing head.

Although the clear aperture is only 17mm I have detected no vignetting with my 25mm Parks Gold pairing...might be different with say a pair of Pan24 or ES24s though?

What I have seen is great sharpness, black sky background and apparently good light transmission - noticeably more so than my previous Maxbright, nice though they were.

I think these could be keepers!

Dave

[Alfian]

Nice one Dave. One of those golden finds that will keep you smiling every time you use them.

[Peter Drew]

I also have one, 20 years ago they were around £700 new so quite an expensive item. I use a Denk these days as it does have larger prisms. A minor drawback with Celestron/Baader unit is that readjusting the IPD also then needs refocusing.    ?

[F15Rules]

6 hours ago, Peter Drew said:

I also have one, 20 years ago they were around £700 new so quite an expensive item. I use a Denk these days as it does have larger prisms. A minor drawback with Celestron/Baader unit is that readjusting the IPD also then needs refocusing.    ?

Yes Peter, I have read something elsewhere citing that sort of  cost when new. They are certainly well built, and I'd say noticeably heavier than Maxbrights, although I haven't weighed them.

I agree that the need to refocus is a slight negative, but I do really like the sliding hydraulic action of the eyepiece holdersinwards or outwards to adjust the IPD, with a claibrated scale to show any particular width from c55-75mm..it would be good if you could lock them in position though.

The eyepiece holding screws are very solid, and dioptre differences between eyes can easily be adjusted for.

And I have no problem observing almost at the zenith with the 60 degree angle...and at mid altitude heights I find them very comfortable indeed?.

Dave